Yungra ha du Divina
by Elmoblaster
Summary: 10,000 years before the events of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a young woman named Irene, who is a well know workaholic, is working as an attendant for The King's daughter, Princess Zelda. Little does she know that her entire life is about to change as she is confronted by The King.
1. Chapter 1

Yungra ha du Divina

Chapter 1: A vacation for the workaholic

Irene nervously gritted her teeth as she walked up the stone path leading to the throne room of Hyrule Castle. _"Why would the king summon me so suddenly this early in the morning? I haven't done anything wrong… have I?"_

Irene stopped outside of the entrance into the throne room and looked south out into the distance. The lush greens of Hyrule Field were coming alive under the rising sun. Birds were peacefully chirping overhead, opposing her dreadful feelings within.

Irene sighed and bowed her head. "I wish I could sing the same happy song as you birds, but I'm getting a terrible feeling that this meeting is not going to end well." With a final breath, Irene composed herself and stepped inside.

Irene almost expected a thunderous chorus of brass instruments to blare into her pointed ears upon seeing the king, but she was only greeted to the sound of her footsteps against the plush, red carpet bouncing off of the grey, brick walls of the circular room.

To her left and right was a staircase that hugged the walls of the room, leading to and converging at a raised platform at the center of the other side of the room. Atop the platform was a golden throne, and lounging the throne was Hyrule's king.

"Ah, Irene, I thank you for coming to see me on such short notice. I do apologize if I woke you." The King sat up straight in his throne and smiled warmly.

Irene smiled back respectfully and stood up straight, clasping her hands in front of her stomach and bowing her head. "It is no trouble at all, sir. I was already getting ready for the day before you summoned me." Irene brushed aside her shoulder length, raven black hair as she stood straight again. "Now sir, I must know… are you letting me go?"

The King's booming laughter echoed through the chamber as he stroked his ginger and grey tinged beard. "Now, Irene, don't be so hasty!"

Irene looked down at the floor shamefully. "I apologize, sir, I spoke out of turn. Please continue."

The King scoffed and shook his head. "Loosen up, Irene, you haven't done anything wrong. I just wanted to talk with you. Now tell me, how are you feeling?"

Irene relaxed slightly, but still stood straight. "Oh, I feel wonderful, sir. You know that I love nothing more than tending to your daughter. She's like my own family."

The King smiled and took the golden crown off of his head, setting it on the arm of his perch as he straightened his thick, red robe. "You are our family, Irene. You are the greatest thing to happen in my dear Zelda's life. Especially after she lost her dear mother… It seems to be a curse of the royal daughters to lose their mothers at a young age. It is also a curse of the kings." The King trailed off as he bowed his head.

Irene allowed his mournful silence to continue for a few moments before clearing her throat.

The King snapped from his trance and shook his head. "Ah, excuse me. Anyway, as I'm sure you know, tomorrow is my daughter's eleventh birthday."

Irene nodded her head and put her hands behind her back. "Yes sir, I have already made several preparations for her party. Starting first thing in the morning, the chefs will begin preparing her cake, a tall, chocolate delicacy large enough to feed everyone attending. While that is happening, I will take Zelda into town and treat her to whatever she wants. There will be a multicultural parade in town tomorrow that I know she wouldn't want to miss. Gorons, Zoras, Gerudo, and Rito will be present in a fantastic display. I know Zelda will love it. After that, we come back to the castle for cake and presents."

The King laughed and clapped his hands. "I wouldn't expect such fantastic plans from anyone other than you, Irene. You truly are an amazing attendant." The Kings cleared his throat and rubbed his balding head. "But anyways, we are getting off topic. Are you aware that tomorrow is also the eleven year anniversary of the day you came to work for me?"

Irene knew it was. She kept track of every single day tirelessly, but she decided to play ignorant. "No sir, I was not aware."

The Kings smiled and nodded his head. "You came to us on the day Zelda was born. You were a gift from the Goddess Hylia herself. I owe you so much for what you have sacrificed, so I would like to return the favor."

Irene smiled and shook her head. "There was no sacrifice, sir. Coming here has only made my life better. If anything, I owe you for giving me such an opportunity."

The King closed his eyes solemnly and leaned forward in his seat. "Alright, Irene, as much as I hate to do this, I need to be brutally honest with you. Have you looked in a mirror recently?"

Irene was confused by his bizarre question. "What are you getting at, sir?"

The King sighed and shook his head. "Irene, you are thirty two years old… but when I look at you, I see a woman in her late forties."

Irene was slightly taken aback, though she made sure not to make it obvious. "I am still not sure where you are going with this."

The King chuckled and shook his head. "What I'm getting at is the fact that you have not gotten more than four hours of sleep a night for the past eleven years. Don't think I haven't noticed."

Irene knew she couldn't play this one off. "It is true, sir, but I'm happy to-."

Irene pursed her lips as The King held up his hand. "Now let me speak, Irene. When I was just a boy, I also had an attendant. She worked tirelessly, much like you do, and she was dedicated to serving the royal family. Now I wasn't a very well behaved child, and we had many international relation issues at the time, meaning that she was caring for me full time. As you can imagine, she was a much stressed woman. She soon died of a heart attack at the ripe old age of twenty seven. Again, I hate to say this, but I see you going down the same path."

Irene shook her head in protest. "Now sir, I visited the castle doctor and-."

The King silenced her once again. "You visited the doctor two years ago. He told you that you should take some time off or else you would end up killing yourself."

Irene opened her mouth to object, but The King hissed sharply. "Now Irene, you know that Zelda and I both love you like family. I worry about you constantly. Even Zelda knows that you are heading down a dangerous road. That's what I called you here for. Irene, it's time for you to take a vacation."

Irene inhaled sharply and shook her head. "Please, sir, it's not necessary."

The King stood up from his seat, his thick, red robe flapping from the motion. "It IS necessary! Irene, if you don't slow down, then you will end up destroying yourself. You've missed the opportunity to start your own family and make your own friends. I don't want my daughter and I to be the reason for your suffering. You don't have a say in this matter. Starting the day after Zelda's birthday, you will be taking one year off for yourself."

Irene tried to hold back her tears, though she couldn't stop a few from streaking down her face. "You want me to stop working for one year, sir?! What will I do for that year?!"

The King held up his hands to calm Irene. "That is up to you. Now look, I will provide everything for you. I have already purchased a vacant house at the edge of town. Food, water, medicine, and whatever else you need will be delivered to you upon your request. I already have a group of movers clearing out your quarters and delivering your belongings to your new home."

Irene sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Will I be allowed to move back in here after that year?"

The King sat back down in his throne, leaning back and scratching his chin. "You will still be living in your new home after that year, but you will still have your job here. I would be a fool to let you go."

Irene covered her face and sobbed quietly into her hands. "Sir, I love living here. Please don't make me stay somewhere else."

This King sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Irene, but your health is important. You'll still have your job here, but you'll just have a different bed. Please try and understand."

Irene steadied her breathing and wiped her eyes again. "Yes sir…"

The King smiled and clasped his hands together. "Come on, don't be so down! We still have a birthday to plan!"


	2. Chapter 2

Yungra ha du Divina

Chapter 2: A new home

Irene clapped her hands as Zelda blew out the candles on her towering chocolate cake. "Happy Birthday, Zelda!"

The countless number of people within the massive dining hall raised their mugs into the air and repeated Irene's cheer. Zelda smiled excitedly as she threw her arms around Irene's waist. "This is the greatest day of my life! Thank you, Irene!"

Irene smiled and knelt down to return the blonde haired girl's embrace. "Oh, you're very welcome, sweetheart. You're growing up too fast."

The rest of the day went by in a busy blur as Zelda's party continued. Songs were sung, gifts were opened, and cake was served until Irene soon found herself standing in the balcony outside of the dining hall, staring out over the moonlit Castle Town. Irene hummed and turned around as she heard someone close the thick velvet curtains that lead inside. It was Zelda.

The young princess walked up next to Irene and leaned against her right hip. "Something is wrong, Irene. I could tell during the entire party. Are you alright?"

Irene knew that Zelda was getting older. It was pointless to try and hide anything from her anymore. "I will be leaving tomorrow, Zelda. But don't worry; I will only be gone for one year."

Zelda sighed and hugged Irene's waist. "Is it because of what father said about you working too much?"

Irene rubbed Zelda's head softly. "Yes, it is. Your father says I need some time away from the castle. That's ridiculous, right?"

Zelda giggled and shook her head. "No, it isn't. I know how much you put up with around here. I don't want you to end up the same way as mother. You're the only mother, so to speak, I have left. I would love it if you could start your own family."

Irene thoughtlessly tugged at the green apron covering her cream colored dress. "You and your father are my family. I'll just power through this one year and I'll be back.

Irene slowly waded through the sunlit square of Castle Town. Most of her belongings had already been moved into her new home, leaving her with nothing more to carry than a bag of clothes over her shoulder. She couldn't help but feel slightly out of place as several of the townspeople shot her looks of confusion and worry. A few of them even asked her if she had lost her job.

Irene stopped as she came to a house at the edge of town. It was fairly isolated from the other homes, but the outside looked nice. The sand colored brick seemed to glow in the sunlight, while the crystal clear windows cast reflections of the town behind her. Even the solid oak door looked freshly polished. Irene sighed and approached the door. "I guess this is it." With one more drawn out sigh, Irene opened the door.

Irene shut the door behind her and looked around the room. "The King said that he arranged the decoration himself, but I never took him to be such a good designer." The white colored walls provided a satisfying contrast to the polished wooden floor. Against the lefts was sat a small table that was flanked by two chairs, and a long, luxurious sofa sat against the right wall. Several pots of beautiful flowers hung from the ceiling, while gorgeous paintings of landscapes accented the walls. On the other side of the square room sat an entryway to the rest of the home.

Irene walked through the entryway to be greeted to a short hallway the reached out to both her left and right. The room at left end of the hallway was nothing more than an empty, spare guest room. The room on the right was her bedroom, which contained a king sized bed fitted with white sheets and a single, polished wooden dresser.

Irene set her bag down and sat on the edge of the bed, enjoying the feeling of the feather-soft mattress against her rear. "Well… here we go. Yeah, this isn't so bad. I've got my bed and… my furniture." Irene huffed and fell onto her back, staring up at the white ceiling. "What do I do from here? There's no busy castle business, no yelling at the chefs, no king, and no Zelda. I feel empty."

After a few more minutes of self pity, Irene stood up and began folding her clothes from her bag, carefully placing them into her dresser. "I miss folding Zelda's clothes already. Whoever will be taking care of Zelda while I'm gone better remember to sort her clothes the RIGHT way." Irene hummed with interest when she opened the third drawer. Inside was a note."

"_Welcome to your new home, Irene. Unfortunately, there are a few things I was not able to get for you; however, if you check under your bed, you will find your payment for your years of tireless work. I would recommend using some of it to buy a cooking pot and other cooking supplies first. You've certainly earned what I've left you. Enjoy your time off. –King Boram Nosphoramus Hyrule"_

Irene set the note on top of her dresser and got down to look under her bed. "I would've expected that getting to live at the castle would be payment enough. What could he have possibly left me?" Irene focused her vision on a rather large, brown sack that sat beneath her bed. Grunting from its surprisingly heavy weight, Irene placed the sack onto her bed and pulled open the drawstring. "Oh my…"

Inside of the sack sat a nearly uncountable amount of small, golden gems that gleamed in the sunlight that shone through the windows. "It's… rupees. It's so many rupees!" Irene sat on her bed and began counting each piece one by one. After roughly an hour of counting, Irene closed the sack of fortune and fell onto her back with a huge smile on her face. "Two hundred and forty million rupees… This is a fortune that people can only dream of. Maybe this really isn't so bad."


	3. Chapter 3

Yungra ha du Divina

Chapter 3: An old friend

Irene sat upright in her bed when she heard a knock on her door. "Oh, it's my first visitor!" Irene quickly placed the sack of riches underneath her bed and ran to her door. "Who is it?"

The muffled voice of a woman came from the other side. "Open the door and find out!"

Irene raised one eyebrow and slowly opened her door. Outside stood a pale skinned woman with long, red hair and a dark green dress. In her hand was a glass bottle full of a brown colored drink and a label that was written in a different language.

The woman held her arms out and ran forward, throwing her arms around Irene's shoulders. "Ireeeeeeeene! It's been so long!"

Irene groaned as she tried to pry the woman off of her. "Alright, take it easy! Who are you?"

The woman backed away with a look of disappointment. "How do you not recognize me, Irene? We only grew up in the same village until you moved away to work at the castle."

Irene scratched her head as she tried to think of the identity of this stranger. "Are you the one who stole my clothes and hung them on a tree while I was swimming in the lake when I was thirteen?"

The woman sighed and shook her head. "No, that was my older sister. I'll give you a hint: I gave you that golden necklace that you're wearing now after your father passed away."

Irene gasped and covered her mouth as she recognized her old best friend. "Corina, is it really you?"

Corina nodded her head excitedly and embraced Irene again. "Yes, it's me! I'm living here in Castle Town now!"

Irene separated from Corina and gestured for her to come inside. "Well what are you doing here? How long have you lived in town?"

Corina sat down on one of the chairs against Irene's wall, placing the glass bottle on the table to her left as Irene sat in the other chair. "Well my study in medicine back home brought me here. The town doctor, Bryson, had come to our village and asked for me personally to study under him. It's been six years now. I will soon be taking his place when he retires in the next few years."

Irene smiled and leaned forward in her chair. "That's wonderful news! If you've been here for six years, then why didn't you ever look for me? You knew I was here."

Corina scoffed and waved her hand dismissively. "You never left that damn castle! I tried so hard to get in contact with you, but I never could. You were too busy following the princess around like a needy puppy."

Irene chuckled and reached over to hit Corina on the leg. "Oh, shut up, Corina. I practically raised that girl." Irene then turned her head down and spoke quietly. "It's the only opportunity I've had to feel like a mother."

Corina laughed and pointed at Irene. "Well now you have the opportunity to be a mother. Word travels around town quickly. I heard that you have an entire year off of work. This is your big chance to find a man and start a family!"

Irene rolled her eyes and leaned back in her seat. "Are you suggesting that I find a man and have children within one year?"

Corina shrugged her shoulders and nodded. "Sure, why not? Irene, you can feel like a mother at the castle all you want or you can finally start your own life and experience the real thing."

Irene sighed and shook her head. "I don't want to think about this right now. I'm just going to get through this year and then go back to work." Irene then pointed to the bottle that Corina had sat on her table. "So what is this stuff?"

Corina smiled and handed the bottle to Irene. "Seriously, Irene, you've been in that castle for too long. How could you not recognize this drink? It's the same kind of Gerudo whiskey that we used to sneak from my parents house when we were fourteen!"

Irene laughed as she recognized the foreign lettering on the front of the bottle. "Oh, how could I forget this? I remember when we got drunk for the first time. We killed the entire bottle, blacked out, and woke up the next morning draped over the backs of two of Mister Busby's horses."

Corina smiled deviously and pointed to the bottle. "Have a drink."

Irene huffed and shook her head. "I haven't had anything other than wine for the past eleven years and even that was extremely rare."

Corina shrugged her shoulders and reached for the bottle. "I guess you just don't have what it takes anymore."

Irene pulled the bottle away with an indignant look on her face. "Hey, now, I can take it!"

Corina continued to goad Irene. "Then prove it! Take a drink!"

Irene uncorked the bottle and crinkled her nose as the strong smell hit her. "Wow, alright, that is pungent." Irene put the bottle up to her lips and slowly began turning it upwards, only to hum with surprise as Corina quickly lifted on the bottom of the bottle, pouring a large amount of the liquid down Irene's throat.

Corina howled with laughter as Irene's face grew cherry red. "C-Corina, what is wrong with you!" Irene began coughing as the whiskey burned down her throat.

Corina shook her head and placed a hand on Irene's shoulder. "Alright, just take it easy. I have to say, I really think you've lost your fun."

Irene took several deep breaths as the burning went down. "Oh, p-please… I c-can have fun." Irene cleared her throat as Corina shot her a doubtful look. "I had fun with Zelda every day."

Corina scoffed and sat back down in her chair. "Oh, and just what kind of fun did you have? I'm going to go ahead and guess that there were dolls and happy little picnics involved?"

Irene looked down guiltily and blushed. "N-No, there was more than that."

Corina rolled her eyes and leaned back. "Oh, right, I almost forgot the hide-and-seek and the makeovers. Now tell me, Irene, when's the last time you stayed up all night and hopped from bar to bar? When's the last time you stole someone's drink? When's the last time you tried to seduce someone in order to get free stuff? You used to be good at it! Even that one woman couldn't resist-!"

Irene waved her hands frantically and shushed Corina, angrily hissing through her teeth. "That was one time, and we were both very drunk!"

Corina laughed and threw her hands into the air. "That's exactly what I'm talking about! We used to drink the night away and get thrown out of every building in town!" Corina leaned over with a smug look on her face and nudged Irene with her elbow. "When's the last time you got some action?"

Irene gasped and slapped Corina's elbow away. "I never have! I am a lady, not some whore who sleeps with every rich man she see's!"

Corina shook her head and wagged her finger at Irene. "Now that is a big fat lie. I was literally in that room with you, but you were just too drunk to remember."

Irene blushed heavily and gasped. "You were watching me!"

Corina snapped her finger at Irene. "Aha! You do remember! And yes, I was. You weren't the only one with an invitation."

Irene plugged her ears and looked away. "I don't want to hear this! I'm a true lady!"

Corina stood up and placed her hands on Irene's shoulders. "Well you know what, Irene? I'm going to fix that."

Irene shoved Corina away and stood up. "There's nothing that needs to be fixed! You were the one that always whored yourself around town!"

Corina waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, you're exaggerating. Look, just come out to the town with me tonight. We can have a few drinks and catch up. We don't have to do anything crazy. I'm a doctor of the town, so my old behavior would be rather frowned upon by others. Believe it or not, I'm trying to settle down as well. Perhaps we can meet some nice men."

Irene sighed and brushed a hand through her hair. "Fine, but I'm not trying to hunt for men. Now look, I need to go into town right now and get some things for my home. I got paid for my work at the castle, so I need to take my money to the town security for safe keeping. Care to join me?"

Corina smiled and shook her head. "I would love to, but I need to get back to Doctor Bryson. I'm sure he's wondering where I am. I'll see you this evening. Make sure you wear something nice." Corina hugged Irene once more before opening the door to walk outside. "It will be a night on the town, Irene!"


	4. Chapter 4

Yungra ha du Divina

Chapter 4: A night on the town

Irene stepped outside and waded through the crown of people. "Surely there is a couple around here…" Irene continued her search until she saw the familiar, silver glint of the helmets belonging to two of the town guards. Irene recognized the two of them from the castle, though she didn't know their names. "Excuse me, guards! I need some assistance!"

One of the guards looked over in her direction, smiling when he recognized her. "Miss Irene, it's good to see you! How's the town treating you so far?"

Irene smiled as both of the guards approached her, wielding spears in their right hands. "It's… crowded. I'm not bothering the two of you, am I?"

The guard on the left shook his head. "We're just on patrol. What is it you need help with?"

Irene pointed back towards her house. "I received my pay for my work and I need to take it to the town security so they can keep it in the vault. Could you two escort me? I don't want any thieves coming around."

The guard on the right nodded his head and smiled warmly. "Of course, Miss Irene. Consider it done."

Irene huffed as she carried the heavy bag of fortune over her shoulder. On either side of her, the two guards diligently watched everything around them, clearing away any large crowds that got in the way. The commotion was silenced as the three of them stepped inside of the empty security hall. Inside was fairly large. The floor was made of polished granite, while large pillars of the same material held up the tall ceiling. A long, wooden desk sat close to the entrance, while a long hallway was behind the desk lead all the way down to a massive locked vault flanked by two guards.

Irene thanked the two guards next to her and dismissed them, approaching the blonde haired lady sitting behind the desk. "Excuse me; I need to keep my things here."

The lady sighed and pointed to the bag as she was broken from her trance of boredom. "What do you have for me?"

Irene set the bag on the desk and leaned over to look past it at the lady. "It's my work pay."

The woman sat up with interest, her blue eyes opening up more. "Well what are you, a paid assassin?"

Irene opened up the bag and showed her the contents of what was inside. The woman gasped and quickly closed the bag, speaking in hushed tones. "Alright, I don't know what you do for a living, but I'm not here to ask questions. Just… don't let anyone know about this. Desperate beggars will do anything to get their hands on money."

Irene nodded in understanding and pointed to the bag. "So can you keep it here?"

The woman nodded her head and pulled the bag behind the desk, sliding a piece of paper and a pen towards Irene. "Just write down your name, age, amount you're depositing, town of residence, and your occupation."

Irene complied and wrote down everything she was told to as one of the guards came and grabbed the bag of money, taking it back towards the vault. Irene handed the paper to the woman when she was done. The woman put the paper in a drawer and looked back to Irene. "With such a large amount of money, I wouldn't recommend carrying a large amount with you. Make sure you only carry small amounts with you. Would you like to take out any for today?"

Irene asked for two hundred in increments of twenty, which was promptly brought to her in a sealed pouch. The woman pointed to the bag and looked at Irene. "I might recommend buying you a purse."

Irene thanked the lady and took her leave, stepping out into the sunlit town. "Now, where should I go first?"

Hours passed as Irene visited nearly every store in town, walking away with several sets of clothes jewelry, and other accessories. Several times, she had to stop for more money. For the first time in her life, Irene felt like a normal woman.

Irene looked into her new, full body mirror as she scanned through her new dresses. "What to wear, what to wear? I have so many options." Irene was distracted from her dilemma as she heard a knock on her door. Irene walked out of her room and approached the front door. "Who is it?" A familiar voice came from the other side. "It's me, Corina!"

Irene unlocked her door and opened it. "Corina, come on in." Corina wore a light blue dress that left her shoulders exposed, while her red hair was tied in a bun. Red lipstick accented her lips, while eye shadow finished off her look.

Corina looked at Irene up and down, pointing at her white undergarments. "Do you plan on going out like that?"

Irene gasped and looked out the window to see that it was getting dark out. "It's time already? I'm still trying to pick out something to wear! Come on and help me!"

Corina gasped as she saw all of the dresses on Irene's bed. "Irene, these are top of the line clothes! How did you afford these?"

Irene chuckled as she sifted through her clothes. "I have a job, remember? Now help me find something to wear."

Irene and Corina spent the next half hour finding different looks until Irene finally settled on a red, strapless dress. After fixing her hair and putting on makeup, the two of them were ready to go.

Irene looked around nervously as Corina dragged her through the torch lit streets. "So where are we going first?"

Corina lead Irene around a building and into a wide alley. "This is my favorite place just up here. They always have good drinks, nice people, live music, and cute guys."

Irene huffed and rolled her eyes. "Corina, I already told you I'm not looking to meet guys."

Corina nodded her head as she approached a wooden door. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean I can't."

Irene looked around curiously as she stepped into the warm, well lit room. At the other end of the room was the bar, with shelves stuffed with many different drinks behind it. On the left side was a small stage, and on it was a band of five men playing lively music. Small, round tables filled all of the empty space, each wooden table packed with people who were laughing and drinking. Corina pointed to an empty table near the back of the room. "Let's sit over there."

Irene set her purse on the table and took her seat facing the stage. Corina adjusted her chair until she was facing the stage as well. "Alright, Irene, the night has begun. Let's start with drinks."

Irene thought for a second before shrugging her shoulders. "Uh, do they have wine?"

Corina scoffed and shook her head. "No, Irene, we're ditching all of the fancy wine and cheese crap that the castle has drilled into your head. Waiter, can we get some drinks?!"

Irene looked up as a handsome, brown haired man approached them. "Good evening, ladies. Ah, Corina, welcome back. Can I get you the usual?"

Corina giggled and twirled a lock of her hair as she winked. "You know me so well, Benson."

Benson then looked over to Irene. "What would you like drink, ma'am?"

Irene got ready to speak, but Corina cut her off. "Oh, Benson, this is my childhood friend, Irene. She's new at this bar, and I'm trying to get her away from all of the stuffy, high strung castle life."

Benson raised one eyebrow with interest. "Ah, you're from the castle?"

Irene shot a quick glance at Corina before nodding her head. "Yes, I've worked there for eleven years."

Corina took over the conversation once again. "Irene will just LOVE to try a Shining Knight."

Benson nodded his head at Irene. "Ah, you have good taste. That's one of our most popular drinks. I will return shortly."

Irene smiled to Benson as he walked away before leaning into Corina's ear. "Alright, what did you just order me? Knowing you, it's something strong enough to kill a horse."

Corina chuckled and shook her head. "Relax, Irene, it's not that bad. It tastes great."

Irene smiled again as Benson brought their drinks. "Here you are, ladies. Enjoy your drinks."

Irene sighed as she looked at the clear liquid in her glass. "Oh no, why is my drink clear, Corina? It's the clear stuff that you have to watch out for!"

Corina huffed and urged Irene to take a drink. "Stop being a baby and just try it."

Irene slowly lifted the glass to her nose. To her surprise, it smelled very sweet like blueberry. With a final breath, Irene took a sip. The taste of berries flooded her senses, followed by the sweet tinge of honey as the drink traveled down her throat. "Hey… This is really good! It's very smooth."

Corina smiled and nodded her head. "See, what did I tell you? Come on, let's drink!"

The rest of the night was a blur for Irene as more drinks were brought out. All she remembered was singing a song with Corina, dancing, and more drinking. Everything else was a blank memory until she woke up the next morning.

Irene groaned as the sunlight beat on her eyelids through the window in her bed room. "What… happened?"

From beneath her, Corina's hoarse voice could be heard. "Stop yelling so loud."

Irene opened her eyes and stuck her head over the side of the bed. "Corina…why are you under my bed?"

A few seconds of silence passed until Corina answered again. "I… don't know."

Irene reached down and felt around until she caught hold of Corina's wrist. "Come on out."

Several moans of protest followed as Irene slowly dragged Corina out. "No… I'm comfortable."

Irene huffed as Corina's head popped out. "Just get in the bed. It's more comfortable."

Corina whined as she pulled herself out and slowly dragged her body onto the bed. "Where's… my dress?"

Irene looked up to see that both of their dresses had been discarded by the door to her bedroom. "They're by the door."

Corina opened one eye took look at the dresses before closing it and plopping her head down. "I'll get it later."

Irene sighed as they both lay down width-wise on the bed, facing opposite directions as the warm sun brought relieving warmth to their skin. "This is why I didn't want to go out."

Corina laughed quietly as she rolled onto her back. "Admit it; this is the most fun you've had in over a decade."

Irene laughed in return as she slowly at up and crossed her legs. "I won't confirm or deny that."

Corina stretched out like a cat lying in the sun. "Well you're stuck with me for a whole year. We're doing it again." Corina then rubbed her head as she tried to sit up. "Just not tonight… give it about two weeks."


	5. Chapter 5

Yungra ha du Divina

Chapter 5: One last fling

Irene woke up with a start, sitting up in her bed as the early morning sun bathed her body with warmth. "I can't believe it! It's been almost one whole year already! I go back to work tomorrow!"

Irene jumped and fell out of her bed as a voice sounded next to her in the bed. "Keep it down!"

Irene huffed and stood up next to the bed. "Corina, when did you get here?! Don't you have your own house with your own bed?"

Corina pulled the covers down until her face was exposed. "Yes, but my bed feels like rocks. Your bed is much better."

Irene sighed and shook her head as she grabbed her robe from her dresser. "No, you just wandered over here in a drunken stupor after I dragged you home from that bar last night."

Corina shrugged and slowly opened her eyes to look at Irene. "Alright, maybe it's both." Corina then looked down as her stomach growled loudly. "I want bacon."

Irene took a deep breath before walking out of her bedroom. "I'll go get breakfast soon. Go ahead and get up. You can wear one of my robes."

Irene sighed as she swallowed a cool drink of water. Behind her, Corina came walking in wearing one of Irene's robes before falling onto the couch. "Is the bacon ready?"

Irene grunted and took another drink of water. "Just hang on. I'll get breakfast in a bit. I have a lot of preparing to do before I go back to work tomorrow."

Corina hummed with discontent as she sat up on the couch. "You've been here for one whole year, having the time of your life, and you still want to live at that snobby castle?"

Irene shook her head. "I talked with The King a few days ago. He's letting me stay in this house, though I'll still work at the castle. Now that Zelda is almost twelve years old, I don't really need to stay at the castle full time anymore."

Corina raised one eyebrow at Irene. "You don't sound as sad about it as I thought you would."

Irene shrugged her shoulders as she took another drink of water. "Well he's not wrong. If anything, I feel proud. Zelda is turning into a fine young woman. Besides, I like it here. I've got a good little life going."

Corina rolled her eyes as Irene handed her a glass of water. "Well just wait until the princess' body starts changing. The King will beg you to stay at the castle. All it takes is one mood swing and The King will be cowering in the corner."

Irene laughed as she sat down in her chair. "I'm sure it won't be that bad."

Corina sucked air in through her teeth and looked away. "I don't know, Irene, remember how hard it hit you? No one would go near you, not even your own mother."

Irene chuckled and shook her head. "Well it didn't help that I had just lost my father."

Corina shrugged as she took a sip of water. "Well I'm glad you're staying here."

Both of them jumped as someone knocked on the door. Irene stood up and made sure her robe was tied securely. "I wonder who that is."

Corina stood up and secured her robe as well. "It's probably that cute mailman. I'm telling you, he's been eyeing you."

Irene chuckled and walked towards the door. "Just don't say anything stupid." Irene opened the door and looked outside. "Who is…it?"

Irene couldn't describe her own feelings. She felt as though her mind had turned to pudding. In front of her was a man. He was a tall, unbelievably handsome man. His shining, brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, while his face was dressed with a perfectly trimmed beard. His grey colored eyes bore into Irene's with a look of warmth and softness. He wore sleek and shiny black armor. On his right hip was some kind of black war mask, while a sword with a brown, leather wrapped hilt sat in a black sheath on his left hip. Irene had never felt anything like this before. It was like an immediate attraction.

The man bowed respectfully before looking back up at Irene. "Good morning, my lady. My name is Greyson."

Irene grinned moronically as she slowly waved her hand. "Huh-H-Hi there…"

Greyson smiled and clasped his hands on front of him. "I hope I'm not bothering you, but I'm new to town, and I don't know my way around-."

Irene nodded her head rapidly with a huge smile. "I can show you around!"

Greyson chuckled and shrugged. "Well I guess that answers my next question."

Irene quickly closed the door on Greyson. "Just give me a few minutes and I'll be ready! Oh, my name is Irene, by the way."

Irene held her hand over her heart and she tried to catch her breath. In front of her, Corina was staring with wide eyes. "Wow… Irene what has come over you?"

Irene grew flustered and she laughed awkwardly. "Did you see him? He's like… a dream! I've never felt like that before!"

Corina nodded and fanned her face with her hand. "Oh, I saw that big hunk of man. Irene, this is your big chance! I think he's interested in you!"

Normally, Irene never thought of such things because she was so busy at the castle. But this time, it felt different. "You know what, Corina… maybe it is."

The two of them squealed like two teenage school girls before Irene quickly ran back to her bedroom, shuffling through every dress she owned. "What should I wear?!"

Corina quickly joined Irene until she pulled out a cream colored sundress. "Here, this will look great. White shoes will go great with it."

Irene quickly put on her clothes as Corina brushed her hair for her. She couldn't help but feel nervous. "Do you… want to come with us?"

Corina laughed and shook her head. "No, Irene, you're doing this yourself. You'll be just fine. Besides, I have to get back to Doctor Bryson. We have a woman who is about to go into labor."

Irene looked at herself in the mirror and smiled at how she looked. "Well maybe I can be that woman someday."

The two of them squealed once again before going back towards the door. With one final breath, and some encouragement from Corina, Irene opened the door. To her relief, Greyson was still waiting patiently.

Irene steadied her heart and approached Greyson. "Sorry for the wait. Are you ready to go?"

Greyson held his arm out to allow Irene to wrap her arm around his. "Let's go, my lady."

Irene could hardly focus as she slowly guided Greyson through the streets. Just the small physical contact that she was making with him was enough to make her heart race.

Irene was snapped from her trance when Greyson cleared his throat. "So where should we start. This certainly seems like a lively town."

Irene chuckled nervously and blushed. "Oh, right, the town. Well, this is Castle Town, as I'm sure you know." Irene began pointing to various shops, restaurants, bars, and any other points of interest that she could think of until the two of them ended up in the central square. In the distance, Hyrule Castle towered over the town.

Irene sat down next to Greyson on the edge of the fountain in the center of the square facing Hyrule Castle, pointing to the marvelous structure. "Over there is Hyrule Castle. That is where I work."

Greyson leaned in with interest. "You work at the castle? What exactly do you do?"

Irene absentmindedly twirled her hair. "I'm the attendant for the princess, Zelda. I also…"

Irene trailed off as the back of her neck tingled. _"Why do I feel like I'm being watched?" _Irene looked around until she caught sight of the guard standing on top of the gate leading to the castle. The guard wore no helmet, revealing it to be a beautiful, blonde haired woman.

Irene scratched her head in confusion. _"Is she a new hire? There are already very few women in the army, and none of them have gate guard duty. And the few women that we have certainly aren't that pretty." _ Irene's blood froze as the woman's icy blue eyes focused directly on her. It was a stare that carried a sense of caution and desperation.

Irene jumped when Greyson tapped on her shoulder. "Irene, are you alright?"

Irene scratched her head and nodded. "Yes… yes, I'm fine." Irene looked up to see that the sun had moved a considerable distance across the sky. "Oh, my, time sure does fly."

Greyson nodded his head and looked to the sky. "You were sitting there for quite a while. I was worried you were having some sort of attack."

Irene sighed with guilt, shame, and embarrassment. "I'm so sorry… that's not how any of this was supposed to go."

Greyson chuckled and scooted closer to Irene. "Oh and how was it supposed to go?"

Irene's heart raced as Greyson took her hand. Greyson stood up and pulled Irene with him. "Come on, Irene, there's still more I'd like to see."

Irene and Greyson spent the rest of the afternoon going through the town. As more time passed, Irene could feel herself sinking deeper and deeper into the indescribable emotions that she felt around Greyson. It was an addictive feeling that she couldn't break; yet, there was another feeling that she couldn't break. It was the feeling of being watched. It was a feeling of judgment. It was the same feeling she got from the blonde woman from the gate.

Irene and Greyson stood outside of the door to her house. The sun had now fallen below the horizon, leaving only torchlight to provide and visibility in the streets. Irene smiled and clasped her hands in front of her. "I had a really great time today. I hope you know your way around the town a little better now."

Greyson smiled and bowed respectfully. "I certainly do. I very much enjoyed your company."

Irene's heart was beating out of her chest. She knew that she should turn in for the night… but she needed more.

Irene took a deep breath and opened the door to her house. "Would you like to come inside?"

Greyson's expression seemed to light up ever so slightly. "Oh, no, I can't impose on you like that. I'm sure you're tired."

Irene felt frustration more than anything, though she didn't show it. "I insist. We can have a drink… or something."

Greyson thought for a moment before nodding his head. "Alright, I can stay for a bit."

Relief and excitement coursed through Irene as she gestured with her hand. "Well after you."

Greyson stepped past Irene and walked inside. Irene followed and closed the door behind her. "Well, here we are…"

Irene felt like her heart was about to give out. She didn't really know what to do next. _"Do I just ask him…? I really need Corina's help here. I should probably say something." _

Irene grabbed two empty glasses. "Would you like some water? I'll have to get it from the well outside."

Greyson sat on the couch and gestured for Irene to sit next to him. "Sit down, Irene. Let me see one of those glasses."

Though she was confused, Irene did as he said. Greyson took the glass and held it in front of his face, uttering a single word: "Nayra."

Irene wasn't sure what the word meant, or what language it was. After uttering that word, Greyson tapped on the glass with his finger.

Irene was mesmerized as a crystal clear note rang throughout the room. The air seemed to vibrate and sparkle around the glass.

Once the note faded away, Irene gasped as pure, clear water materialized in the glass. "W-What did you just do?"

Greyson smiled and handed the water to Irene. "Go on, take a drink."

Irene sipped the water as Greyson took the other empty glass. Irene sighed with satisfaction as the ice cold water felt as though it soothed her throat, even though her throat wasn't even bothering her. "This water… is perfect."

Irene watched with interest as Greyson got onto the floor on his knees set the glass on ground in front of him. "Come down here, Irene."

Irene kneeled on the opposite side of the glass and looked at Greyson. Reaching forward, Greyson took Irene's hands and placed them on the glass. "Take calm, even breaths and keep your hands on the glass."

Irene's eyes sparkled with amazement as Greyson placed his hands on hers, causing her hands do glow with a soft, pink light. "This is incredible!"

Irene's amazement only grew as the soft pink light was cast throughout the room. The sounds of wind blowing through grass and birds singing could be heard, though it had no apparent source. From within the glass, a single pink rose grew without the presence of soil. Once it completely bloomed, Greyson picked it from the glass and handed it to her.

As soon as she took it, the light stopped and the flower faded into glowing petals that were carried away by a non-existent breeze before disappearing. Greyson chuckled and lifted Irene's hands. "You did very well, Irene."

Irene couldn't muster any words. She knew what she wanted. Standing up without a word, Irene took Greyson by his hands and led him back to her room.


	6. Chapter 6

Yungra ha du Divina

Chapter 6: Back to it

Irene groaned and stretched like a cat as the morning sun poured light through her window. Keeping her eyes closed, Irene reached over and snuggled against Greyson. "Good morning."

"Uhh… Good morning." Irene yelped and fell out of her bed when it was Corina's voice that answered. Irene stood up and looked angrily at Corina. "What are you doing here?! Where's Greyson?!"

Corina shuddered with disgust. "Well I'm here because I discovered that I have mice, so I'm having that taken care of. As for Greyson, he left sometime during the wee hours of the morning. I had crashed on your sofa, but he woke me up when he walked out."

Irene tried to process everything Corina was telling her. "Well did he say anything?"

Corina shook her head. "He didn't know I was awake. He seemed very bothered and a little sad. The last thing he said before walking out the door was 'I'm sorry, dear sister, but this must be done.'… I don't really know what that means, though."

Irene sighed and sat down on the edge of her bed. "I knew this was a bad idea. I'm probably just another tally on his scoreboard."

Corina got up and sat next to Irene, putting her arm around her shoulder. "Hey, don't be so sure. I assume he'll be back. He left his sword and mask on your chair."

Irene sighed with relief. "Oh, well that's good. Maybe he just had something to take care of."

Corina nodded reassuringly and then chuckled. "You wouldn't believe the noise I walked into."

Irene blushed heavily and shoved Corina. "You were listening?!"

Corina laughed and nodded. "How could I not? Plugging my ears didn't even help." Corina then proceeded to lie down on her back, lifting one leg in the air as she shook the bed violently enough to bang the headboard against the wall.

Irene opened her eyes wide and blushed as Corina moaned and yelled at an exaggerated volume. After hearing enough, Irene slapped Corina on her leg. "Shut up! I don't do that!"

Corina sat up and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, you kind of were."

Irene stood up and quickly put on her robe before exiting her room. True to Corina's words, Greyson's mask and sword were sitting on her chair. Irene grabbed both of the items and sat on the couch with them.

Irene couldn't help but feel uneasy as she held the black, ovular war mask in her hands first. She couldn't recognize the material it was made of. It was too hard to be made of wood, but too light to be made of metal. It was a simple mask with nothing more than a single hole cut out for the right eye and a vented mouth port. Strange noises similar to hushed whispers emanated from the mask, only to grow louder as she put on the mask.

Despite lacking any sort of strap, the mask stayed on her face. The whispers spoke in what Irene recognized to be first form Hylian language. She didn't know the language, but she recognized a few words. _"Mind… Chaos… Ghira..." _

Irene took off the mask and set it aside, speaking quietly to herself. "That last word… it sounded like a name." Thinking nothing more of it, Irene lifted the sword next.

A black, leather sheath covered the blade. The handle was long enough to be held with one of two hands and wrapped with brown leather. The pommel was a circular, polished silver ring. In the center of the ring was a coin sized black gem. The silver cross guard curved very slightly upwards towards the blade.

The sound of metal sliding against leather could be heard as Irene drew the blade. Irene's heart raced as she observed the weapon. The blade was completely black, though the sharp edges were lined with silver. A single flange sat at the base of the blade. To Irene confusion, the black material of the blade reflected no light, giving it the appearance of a bottomless void threatening to pull her in. When Irene pressed her finger against the blade surface, she felt nothing there. Though Irene felt resistance as though she were pressing a solid surface, there was no texture of any sort.

Irene jumped when Corina walked into the room. "That's one ominous looking sword."

Irene looked at the sword once more before returning it to its sheath. "It's certainly strange. It just seems weird that Greyson would leave them behind if he had something to do."

Corina nodded with agreement before gasping loudly. "Irene, wait!"

Irene jumped and quickly stood up. "What is it?!"

Corina placed her hands on Irene's shoulders. "You're supposed to go back to the castle today!"

Every thought of Greyson and his left behind possessions vanished from her mind as she screamed loudly. "Oh, damn it! I have to go now!"

Irene ran back to her room and threw on a tan dress along with a green, sleeveless vest. Once Irene attached her belt and put her shoes on, she quickly fixed her hair before running towards the door. "Corina, you can stay here if you want. Please put the sword and mask under my bed!"

Irene pushed past everyone in town as she frantically hurried towards the castle. As she crossed the bridge towards the gate, she noticed three guards waiting outside for her.

Irene waved to them as she got closer. "I'm sorry I'm late!"

The guards stepped aside as the gate slowly opened, all talking in unison. "Welcome back, Miss Irene."

Irene climbed the entire spiraling road around the castle until she finally ended up outside of the throne room at the top. Giving herself time to catch her breath, Irene straightened out her hair and walked inside.

It was the same as before. There was no thunderous fanfare upon entering the throne room, just ambient silence. Ahead of her, The King sat upon his throne.

Irene stepped into the center of the room and bowed her head. "I have returned and am ready for work, sir."

The King smiled and stood up from his throne, holding his arms out as if he were going to hug her from there. "Thank the goddess you are back, Irene. I've missed you terribly."

Irene smiled in return but then cocked her head sideways as she noticed just how tired The King both looked and sounded. "Are you alright, sir? You seem stressed."

The King nodded and sat back down in his throne, rubbing his temples as he did so. "It's Zelda, Irene. She's an early bloomer, just like her mother was."

Irene smiled to herself as Corina's words came true. "Well I'm sure it can't be that bad, sir. It happens to every girl eventually."

The King huffed and leaned back in his throne. "Yes, but… I don't know what to do! She needs this and that and I honestly don't know what to do! If I do something wrong, she throws things at me! Not even the guards will go near her!"

Irene couldn't contain herself as she laughed loudly. "Well, sir, you have my help again."


	7. Chapter 7

Yungra ha du Divina

Chapter 7: Unusual events

It had been two weeks since Irene came back to the castle, and she couldn't be happier. Greyson had still never returned, but she didn't care. She didn't need him. Irene sang quietly to herself as she picked up the dirty clothes from Zelda's room. "She is still such a messy child."

Once all of the clothes were gathered, Irene picked up the basket and carried it out of the room only to stop outside and set the basket down as she suddenly grew exhausted, having to take deep, labored breaths. "Damn… not this again. I still don't understand how this happened."

Irene looked up as she heard footsteps approach her. It was Zelda, wearing a simple, white dress, along with a golden tiara. Even with the dress, it was obvious that the twelve year old girl's body was starting to take the shape of a young woman.

Zelda placed a hand on Irene's shoulder as Irene calmed her breathing. "Irene, are you alright?"

Irene took a few deep breaths and smiled to Zelda. "I'm just fine, sweetheart. I've just been out of work for a while."

Zelda sighed and rubbed Irene's stomach. "Are you sure it has nothing to do with this?"

Irene looked down at her bulging belly. She knew that it would be impossible to hide, though The King still had no knowledge of it. Irene sighed and slowly nodded her head. "Yes, Zelda… I'm pregnant."

Zelda scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Geez, you don't say. I already picked up on that. I want to know how."

Irene hummed and scratched her chin. "Well now I already gave you that talk a few years ago, sweetie."

Zelda huffed and shook her head. "No, I mean I want to know how it happened so quickly. You've only been back for two weeks. When you first came back, you looked completely normal. Now it looks like you're going to give birth any day now."

Irene looked down at her stomach again. True, she couldn't see her own feet anymore, but surely she wouldn't have such a premature birth. "Well maybe it's just a big, healthy baby. I'm sure it will still take nine months."

Zelda hummed and shook her head. "I don't think so. I've seen how tired you get from simple tasks. If you keep working this hard, you could really hurt the baby. I should tell father."

Irene opened her eyes wide and shook her head desperately. "No, Zelda, please don't tell him! I've finally come back to work after a whole year of waiting. If your father finds out, I'll have to take leave again!"

Zelda shook her head and began backing away. "Well I don't care. What you're doing is unhealthy."

Irene looked and Zelda sternly and began moving towards her. "Don't say a word, young lady! I still have the authority to punish you!"

Zelda quickly turned and ran away down the hall. "Father, I need to talk to you about Irene!"

Irene quickly began pursuing her, but had to stop and brace herself against the wall as exhaustion took over her body again. "Get back here… right now… young lady…"

Irene quietly cried into her hands as she stood in the middle of the hallway. Looking down, Irene slowly rubbed her belly. "Don't worry, my little baby. We'll make it through this. Even without your father."

Irene sniffed as she slowly dragged Zelda's laundry basket down the hallway, having to stop several times along the way to catch her breath. Once she was in the washroom, she began washing and sorting every bit of clothing. After hanging them to dry, Irene gasped and jumped when someone called out to her from the doorway.

Irene turned around to see one of the castle maids standing there. "Please, don't scare me like that. What do you need?"

The maid bowed and stepped closer to Irene. "The King would like to see you in the throne room."

Irene's breath caught in her throat as she started straight ahead. "Very well, then."

The maid put a hand on Irene's shoulder and began to guide her. "Allow me to help you, Miss Irene."

Irene impatiently slapped the maid's hand away. "Don't bother, I can do it myself."

After nearly half an hour of walking and resting, Irene was stepping into the throne room. The King sat on his throne, while Zelda stood to his right. When Zelda noticed Irene, she tapped her father's shoulder and pointed.

The King's eyes bugged out as he nearly jumped out of his seat. "Irene, look at you!"

Irene flinched as she bowed. "Yes sir, it is true."

The King stood from his throne and quickly ran down the stair towards her, placing his hand on her stomach. "I-I don't believe it! You really are pregnant! Irene, this is wonderful!"

Irene raised one eyebrow in confusion. "You aren't upset, sir?"

The King smiled and shook his head. "Why would I be? I've told you a thousand times to start a family! Who's the father?"

Irene looked down and sighed. "He… left."

The King furrowed his brow and hummed with discontent. "Well we don't need that bastard. If we find him, I'll make sure he pays."

Irene tried to speak up, but The King kept going on. "This is still amazing! We can raise the child here as royalty! Your child will never want for anything!"

Irene was slowly started to grow excited as The King kept going on about how great her child would be until they were interrupted by Zelda. "Father, Aren't you at least curious as to how she got pregnant?"

The King turned to Zelda with a stern look. "Now Zelda, that isn't your business! Besides, Irene already gave you that talk."

Zelda groaned impatiently. "That's not what I mean! Two weeks ago, Irene looked all nice and skinny. Now, after only TWO WEEKS, she looks like she ate an entire cow!"

Irene gasped and hung her mouth open as she looked at Zelda in shock. The King turned around and barked at Zelda. "I never want to hear you speak of Irene that way ever again! Go to your room!"

Zelda stomped her foot and walked out of the throne room, muttering quietly to herself the whole way.

The King took a deep breath and rubbed his head. "I apologize for that, Irene. She's turning into a little brat."

Irene chuckled and shook her head. "No, she's just turning into a young woman. It's not always an easy process."

The King hummed with interest as he looked at Irene's stomach. "Though, now that Zelda mentions it… how did it happen like this? This may be a bit of a personal question, but… when did you and the father uh… well, you know what I mean."

Irene looked around to make sure no one else was listening. "It was the night before I returned to work. He was gone the next morning."

The King scratched his chin in confusion. "That certainly is peculiar. You look just like my wife did about four days before she gave birth. She carried Zelda for nine months."

Irene couldn't think of any logical answer. "I honestly don't know. I just woke up one morning and I couldn't see my feet."

The King began pacing back and forth. "Does anyone else know of your pregnancy?"

Irene shook her head. "No one outside of the castle knows. I haven't even seen a doctor."

The King thought for a second before finally shrugging his shoulders. "Well, in spite of the strange circumstances, I'm afraid I can't have you working in your condition. You could seriously harm your child."

Irene closed her eyes as a single tear rolled down her cheek. "Please don't send me away again, sir. I have been looking forward to coming back more than anything."

The King shook his head solemnly. "It won't be as long, Irene, I promise. I can tell that you will give birth soon, even with such a short period. After you have your child, you may return to the castle to raise it. Since no one knows about your strange circumstances, no one will suspect your short pregnancy. I'll get a carriage to carry you home and then I'll send a doctor to your house."

Irene sighed and bowed her head. "Yes… sir."


	8. Chapter 8

Yungra ha du Divina

Chapter 8: Troubled dreams

Irene was standing in the middle of a grassy meadow. The lush, green grass tickled at her feet through her sandals. Surrounding her was nothing but blue sky and towering clouds. "Where am I?" Her voice seemed to echo amongst the clouds. Upon closer inspection, Irene realized that she was standing on a floating Island.

Irene turned when she heard a voice behind her. "What have you done?"

Irene felt like she had seen the woman before. She was around the same height, with long, golden hair and sharp, ice blue eyes. She was physically flawless. She wore a long, white dress along with tan sandals. "W-Who are you?"

The woman suddenly grew furious. Around them, the clouds turned dark grey and rapid flashes of lightning could be seen. The woman pointed to Irene and began yelling in ancient Hylian, though Irene didn't recognize any of the words. Irene screamed in agony as she felt burning on the back of her neck as though she were being branded. With a final cry of pain, Irene's vision faded to black.

Irene awoke with a scream as sweat covered her body. She was lying in her own bed. Outside, the morning sun was breaking the horizon. Someone came running into her room. It was a maid from the castle who had been tasked with helping Irene until the doctor was freed up. "Miss Irene, is everything alright?"

Irene wiped the sweat from her forehead and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. It was just a bad dream. Is the doctor finally free to see me?"

The maid shook her head. "I'm afraid Doctor Bryson is still tied up; however, I did manage to find another who wants to see you."

Irene stared nervously as Corina walked in, wearing a white coat and carrying a bag. "Thank you, ma'am that will be all."

The maid bowed and took her leave from the house. Irene smiled awkwardly and waved to Corina. "Hey there, Corina, have you been keeping busy?"

Corina stared at Irene with stern silence as she pointed to her bulging stomach. Irene chuckled nervously and pointed to her own stomach as well. "Oh, this… yeah, I uhh…" Irene trailed off as she couldn't think of any excuses.

Corina set her bag down and sat on the edge of the bed. "Why didn't you tell me? You know that I would've helped you!"

Irene looked away guiltily. "I just didn't want to freak anyone out. I've been pregnant for two weeks, but it looks like I'm going to give birth any day now."

Corina nodded her head several times. "Oh, you'll definitely go into labor soon. I can tell that just by looking at you. I don't know how it happened like this, but I don't care. All I care about is that your child is healthy. My biggest fear is that a birth this early will produce a dead child."

Irene shivered at the though. "This baby hasn't even been born yet, but I already love this child. Please don't say things like that."

Corina leaned down and placed her ear against Irene's stomach. "Have you been feeling sick or moody?"

Irene shook her head. "Oddly enough, I've felt fine other than exhaustion I experience from moving around too much."

Corina lifted her head and began massaging Irene's stomach with a look of confusion on her face. "That's certainly odd… I can hear the child in there as if it were moving around." Corina lifted Irene's dress over her stomach and lightly tapped on her stomach three times before placing her hand on her belly. Both of them gasped as they felt the child kick three times in return.

Corina tapped again, though several more times in an odd rhythm. The baby kicked and repeated the exact same rhythm.

Corina scratched her chin and gasped quietly. "Incredible… It's as if the child is already developed and ready to come out. Not only that, but it's extremely responsive and intelligent."

Irene looked at Corina nervously. "W-Well what do we do?"

Corina shrugged her shoulders. "I guess we just wait."


	9. Chapter 9

Yungra ha du Divina

Chapter 9: Five

Irene lay with her eyes open as the sun began to set. It had been two days since Corina showed up to help Irene, and she was now lying next to Irene in the bed in wait. Irene looked over to Corina. "Thank you for waiting with me."

Corina sighed tiredly and smiled. "Hey, I'm happy to do it. I can't wait to see your child."

Irene gasped as she could feel her child kicking around. "Corina, it's moving!"

Corina quickly stood up and stood at the end of the bed, spreading Irene's legs using two pillows to lift them up. "Do you feel any pain?"

Irene shook her head as she started taking deep, steady breaths. "No, not at all, just pressure."

Corina got onto her knees and moved Irene's dress to get a better look. "It's just strange. You've experienced no contractions or anything." Corina reached into her bag and pulled out a thick, padded mat that she placed on the floor. "Well I can definitely say that the baby is ready to come out. One the count of three, I'm gonna need you to push, alright?"

Irene nodded as she steadied her breathing. "Alright, I'm ready."

Corina patted Irene's leg in affirmation. "One… Two… Three!"

Irene grunted as she began pushing. She felt no pain, but she felt immense pressure.

Corina gasped and began encouraging her. "Come on, Irene, I can see the head!"

Irene, now feeling another burst of energy, kept on pushing. Corina gently patted Irene's leg. "Almost there, keep going!"

Irene kept on pushing until she felt her baby leave her body.

Corina remained silent for a few moments after grabbing the baby before speaking. "Oh my… how strange."

Irene grew concerned and was about to ask what was wrong until she felt something else inside of her. "C-Corina, wait!"

Corina looked at Irene after setting the baby down on the padded mat. "What's wrong?!"

Irene began breathing heavily again. "T-There's another one coming!"

Corina's voiced was mixed with both surprise and excitement. "There's another one?! Alright, I'll need you to push again!"

The pressure returned as Irene began pushing out her second child. After it was delivered, Irene gasped again. "T-There's another one coming, Corina!"

Corina huffed and placed the second child down. "You're killing me, Irene! Alright, keep pushing!"

Once the third child was born, the pressure grew stronger. "There's more!"

Corina sighed and urged Irene on once again. "That's four children now, Irene! Anymore I should know about?!"

Irene settled down as the pressure slowly started to wear off. "Y-yeah, I think… that's all of-." Irene inhaled sharply as the pressure returned. "Nope, there's one more!"

Corina grunted and got back down on her knees. "Alright, keep pushing!"

After the fifth child was delivered, Irene sighed with relief as the pressure immediately dissipated. At the foot of the bed, Corina had placed all five children on the mat. "This is… This is…"

Irene grew worried as she couldn't see what was happening. "Corina, why can't I hear any crying? Aren't babies supposed to cry after they're born?" Irene began panicking as Corina didn't respond. "Corina, please tell me that my babies are alright!"

Corina stood up facing away from Irene. "Yes… Yes they are, Irene. How do you feel?"

Irene closed her legs and sat up on the edge of the bed. "I feel… just fine. It's as if nothing ever happened.

Corina smiled and gestured for Irene to come closer. "Well I have someone you may want to meet."

Irene was both excited and nervous as she slowly stepped around the bed. With such odd birthing circumstances, she didn't know what to expect. All of her worries vanished when she saw what was sitting on the mat. Corina got on her knees next to the mat and smiled warmly. "I would like for you to meet your children, Irene, four boys and one girl."

Tears flowed down Irene's face as she saw her five children sitting on the mat, who were all staring back at her. "Oh my goodness…" Irene got onto her knees in front of her children. "L-Look at them, Corina, they're my children!"

Irene bent down and picked up one of her children. It was one of her sons. He had copper brown hair and wide green eyes that stared right at her with wonder. "Hi there, little one, I'm your mother." Irene smiled and pressed her forehead against his. The boy responded by giggling and placing a hand on her cheek.

Corina reached over and grabbed another boy. He had shiny, jet black hair with sharp, grey eyes. "It's so strange. They've already opened their eyes, and they have full heads of hair. They are already larger than most newborns as well."

Corina suddenly gasped. "I-Irene, look at this!"

Irene looked down and gasped as she saw her daughter stand up. Her daughter had shoulder length, golden hair and icy blue eyes. Irene couldn't believe what she was seeing. "How is this possible?" As she said that, the other two boys stood up as well. They boy that she was holding also managed to wriggle out of her grip and stand on the floor.

Corina stared at all of them in amazement. "This is… unreal!" Corina then looked at the black haired child she was holding. "How about you, can you stand?" Corina set the child on his feet, but his legs only crumbled beneath him, leaving him to hold himself up on his stomach with his hands.

Corina hummed and scratched her chin. "I guess he's a slow learner." As soon as she finished speaking, the black haired boy began dragging himself along the floor, though he didn't use his legs. When the others saw him, they began clumsily walking.

Corina looked at Irene with wide eyes. "They've been alive for all of five minutes, and they can already walk."

Irene looked back at her children as all but one of them started a dissonant chorus of babbling. "I guess they can make noise too."

Irene looked at the one child who wasn't making noise. He had light brown hair with amber colored eyes. "I wonder why he's not doing it."

Corina reached over and grabbed the child, tickling him on his stomach. The child smiled and opened his mouth as though he was laughing, but no sound came out. "Maybe his vocal chords are damaged? That is very strange."

Corina then grabbed the black haired child again. "Come here for a second, you." Corina turned him around and pinched his hindquarters. The child had no reaction to it. Corina then reach over and pinched the leg of the girl, who reacted by yelping and slapping at Corina's wrist before stumbling away.

Corina cradled the black haired child in her arms. "Irene… I don't think this child has any feeling in his legs. That's why he's not walking."

Irene reached over and took the child from Corina. "You mean he's paralyzed?"

Corina solemnly nodded her head. "I'm afraid so."

Irene set the boy down to crawl and looked to her children. "Do they all have something wrong with them?"

Corina shrugged her shoulders. "Well we have one who can't talk and one who can't walk." Corina then pointed to the last born child. "What about that one?"

Irene lifted her son into her arms and looked at him. Unlike the others, he had no hair on his head. His eyes were completely white and lacked any pupils. Irene waved her hand in front of his face, which he precisely followed by turning his head. "I can't tell if he's blind or not."

Corina looked around at the group of children as they all stumbled around. When the girl walked past the copper haired boy, she cried out as he stumbled at her and bit her hair, causing them both to fall on the ground and begin rolling along the ground, pounding their tiny fists against each other. This set off the other children, who all piled on top of one another in a clumsy wrestling match.

Irene gasped and clapped her hands together. "T-That is enough!"

All of the toddlers stopped what they were doing and separated, looking at her with wide eyes.

Corina looked at all of the children and took several shaky breaths. "W-What are they?"

Before Irene could answer, her daughter walked up to her and got into her lap with a huge smile on her face. Irene couldn't help but smile back as all of the other children giggled and piled around her. Irene rubbed her nose against her daughter's and laughed. "Hi there, little one… I'm your mommy."

The girl giggled again and opened her mouth. "H-H-Hi… there…"

Irene nuzzled her and looked up at Corina. "I'll tell you exactly what they are, Corina. They are my children, and they are perfect."


End file.
